Darrell Issa

CAPITOL HILL — The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to cite Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to release documents relating to “Fast and Furious” – a failed government operation that put guns in the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The was vote viewed by many as a legal and political showdown between the Republican-led House and Democratic President Barack Obama and his attorney general.

With Democratic lawmakers in the mood to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling upholding President Obama’s health care law, Republican Speaker John Boehner agreed to bring the contempt votes to the floor of the House.

“Now, I don’t take this matter lightly and I would frankly hope that it would never come to this,” said Boehner. “The House’s focus is on jobs and on the economy. But no Justice Department is above the law, and no Justice Department is above the Constitution, which each of us has sworn an oath to uphold.”

While Republicans stressed that Congress deserve to hear all of the facts about the failed “Fast and Furious” operation, Democrats accused Continue reading →